Shoe sole or heel



Oct; 11,1927.

L. E. PACKARD 'saon SOLE ORYHEEL Filed July 2, 1927 mm mm Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

outrun STATES PATENT 011F165 TESTER EPACKARD, or BBocKTon, MASSACHUSETTS, vassrenoa 'ro vonsour: corrrnnror AVON, MASSACHUSETTS, A conrosnrron or MASSACHUSETTS. I

SHOE SOLE Lon HEEL.

' Application filed July 2,

This invention relates to shoe Soles and heels formed'of rubber compound and the main object of the invention is to provide a construction of sole or heel of this type having spikes projecting from the tread surface such as are desired in shoes for playing golf or for other athletic purposes.

The object of the invention is further to provide a composite spike insert to be embodied in a shoe sole or heel of rubber composition and adapted to be inseparably united therewith. v

The object of the invention is further to provide a novel and efficient construction of shoe sole or heel of rubber composition presenting metal spikes projecting fromthe tread surface.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is view in perspective looking at the tread surface of a multi-ply rubber composition shoe sole embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in cross section of a mold Such as may be employed in the manufacture of the sole shown in Fig. 1 with the mold parts separated and with the sole parts in position in the lower mold section.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the several parts enlarged of one of the inserts in their relative assembling positions.

Fig. at is a view in central cross section of such an insert assembled.

Fig. 5 is a plan view looking at the tread surface of a rubber composition heel embodying a preferred form of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a view partially broken away of a portion of a mold for forming a heel such as shown in Fig. 5 with some of the heel parts in position therein.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the inserts to illustrate a variation in the shape of the spike point.

The invention may be embodied in a sole or a heel or both for use in any type of boot or shoe. The sole or heel is, however, of that type in which the body is'formed of some suitable rubber compound or composition capable of forming, as the result of vulcanization under heat and pressure, an insepa- 1927. Serial No. 203,217.

rable union with the same or other rubber compositions or compounds.

For the purpose of illustrating further embodiments of the present invention there are herein shown, first, a sole for an ordinary boot or shoe and, second,a heel. Both are shown specifically with the body composed of a plurality of Superimposed layers of rubber compound. The sole is shown as of the type disclosed in the application of'Ra mond E. Drake, Serial No. 166,933, filed Fe ruary 9, 1927,: wherein the body of the sole is composed of two superimposed layers, the tread layer being a suitableunfibrous rubber compound providing the desirable yielding and elastic surface and the base layer bein a rubber compound loaded with fibres, whic is much less yielding and elastic than the tread layer and makes a good anchorage for the stitches bywhich the sole is secured in poses such as golf shoes, running shoes, etc.,

but such soles and heelsare not waterproof and become stiff and hard when wet. Moreover, the spikes arepressedout of position in the soles or heels when the soles or heels are wet.

The present inventionpresents a sole or heel having all the advantages of the rubber compound sole or heel and all the advantages of the projecting spikes. The sole or heel of this invention is completely waterproof, does not become distorted when wet, is flexible and elastic at all times and presents the same holding qualities by reason of the spikes that are secured in a leathersole or heel fitted-with Spikes.

The invention resides both in the sole or heel as a. complete article of manufacture and in a spike insert as asep arate article of .manufacture which is later built 1nto the sole or heel.

The nature of the invention will be best understood by the description of the constructions illustrated in the drawing;

In the case of a sole such as shown inFig. 1, the tread layer 1 is'a'rubber compound of the required yielding and elastic charao,

'ter, preferably without fibre therein, and the of such a sole is shown separated in Fig. 3 and assembled in Fig. 4. Each insert comprises a plurality of layers of rubber compound. These layers should preferably be of the same or similar compounds to those employed in the layers of the sole and may best be cut from the same stock and must be of the same size and shape as the holes punched in the sole layers. Consequently,

. as shown in Figs. 3 and 1, the insert rubber compound layers 3 and t preferably correspond in composition and thickness to the crude stock of the layers 1 and 2 of the sole and also correspond in size and shape to the holes punched in the sole. ,Metal washers 5, 6 and 7 are located between and on each outermost face of the insert layers 3 and 4:.

I Thus the washer 5 comes against the outer or lower face of the washer 8, the washer 6 is placed between the layers 8 and 1, and the washer 7 comes against the upper or outermost face of the layer 4. The metal spike having a point 8 of required shape and a preferably cylindrical shank 9 extends centrally through the superimposed washers and layers. The parts of the insert are then pressed together and the construction is such that'the outermost washers are so secured to the spike as to hold the parts assembled and compressed. In the preferred construction against the outer face of the washer 7.

the washer 5 is an integral part of the spike and the shank 9 of the spike is made hollow I and a conical plug 10 is provided which,

when driven in the shank 9, splits it, enabling the split portions to be bent over The thickness of the insert in its completed and compressed condition is thus readily determined and should be equal to the thickness of the complete finished sole. As shown in Fig. 7, the shape of the point 11 of the spike may be varied as desired.

.A usual type of mold is shown in Fig. 2

wherein the base 12 presents a seat corresponding in shape and depth to the required shape and thickness of the sole and wherein the top member 13 is a flat plate adapted to be forced down on to the base. The base in the seat is provided with sockets 14 to re ceive the spike points 8 and thus locate the inserts opposite the holes punched in the stock of the sole. The inserts are first placed in position in the mold, then the sole layers 1 and 2 of thestock are placed in position over the inserts. Preferably also a backing layer 15 of some fibrous rubber impregnated fabric is laid ontop of the layer 2 to form a finish and protect the metal parts of the insert. After the parts have thus been placed in position, as shown in Fig.2, heat is applied and the top and base of the mold forced together with sufficient pressure all in the familiar manner and as required to vulcanize the rubber compounds.

is provided with the required spikes firmly and immovably embedded therein. The washers at the two faces and in the center of the sole body firmly support the spikes and prevent them from being twisted or torn out of position.

In the case of a heel, it is usually desirable that the heel be formed throughout of the same quality of rubber compound and while the heel may be made throughout of a single layer, the best results will be secured by forming two layers ofthe compound. A rubber heel must be provided with inset washers for holding the nails by which it is secured in place and the present invention provides also for this.

A heel mold of the usual type is shown in Fig. 6. The base section 16 is provided with a plate 17, on the upper face of which are formed as usual the indicia to appear on the tread surface of the heel. Shoulder studs 18 having tips 19 are mounted in this base to support on their shoulders the nailreceiving washers 20'. The base is also provided with sockets 21 to receive the spike points 8 of the inserts. The wall section 22 of the mold has the shape and thickness of the heel. The top section 23 of the mold is shaped as usual, preferably being convex at 24 to produce the required concavity on the top surface of the heel. Informing the heel, inserts constructed as already described,

but in which the layers 25 and 26 are preferably of the same rubber composition as the heel stock, are placed in position on the mold section 16. A layer 27 of raw heel stock, which, when compressed, willsubstantially equal in thickness the layer 25 of the insert, is then punched and placed in the mold over the inserts and over the studs 18. x

placed in position. A layer 28 of raw heel stock is then placed in position on the washers 20. The mold parts are then forced together with the required pressure and heat in the usual manner to effect vulcanization. This forces the washers 20 into the section 28 and compresses the two sections 27 and '28 down to the same thickness as the inserts.

Again both the layers of the heel are inseparably united and the peripheries of the inserts are inseparably united with the body of the heel. The tread surface of such a heel is shown in Fig. 5 with the holes 29 formed by the studs 18 to receive the attaching nails.

The layer 3 of the insert appearing at the tread of the sole or the layer 25 of the insert appearing at the tread of the heel may have a coloring pigment included in its composition. This causes the inserts to appear prominently at the treading surface of the sole or heel and emphasizes the spike feature in a pleasing and attractive manner.

V'Jhile, as shown and is desirable, the inserts are formed complete before being placed in the mold, they may, if desired, be assembled in the mold along with the layers of the sole or heel, that is, the various parts of the inserts such as shown in Fig. 8 may be placed in assembled position, but without being compressed and then may be brought into compressed position by the forcing of the mold parts together.

In all cases it will be understood also that the rubber composition layers of the inserts are preferably larger in diameter than the metal washers and that the portions of these layers extending beyond the periphery of the washers are inseparably united at their faces during the process of vulcanization. The term shoe tread is used in the claims as referring to either a sole or a heel.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A shoe tread comprising a body of rubber compound and a spike insert composed' of a plurality of superimposed layers of rubber compound, metal washers between and on each outermost face of said layers, and a metal spike extending centrally through said layers and washers with the outermost washers secured thereto and holding the layers compressed to a predetermined thickness with the spike point proj ecting, the periphery of said insert and the surrounding body being in an inseparable vulcanized union.

2. A shoe sole comprising superimposed tread and base layers of differently constituted rubber compounds, a spike insert composedof two superimposed layers of rubber compound similarly constituted to the respective layers of the sole body, metal washers between and on each outermost face of said insert layers, and a metal spike extending centrally through said insert layers and washers with the outermost washers secured thereto and holding the layers compressed to a thickness not greater than that of the sole with the spike point projecting, the periphery of said insert and the surrounding body being in an inseparable vulcanized union.

3. A spike insert for a rubber compound shoe tread comprising two superimposed layers of rubber compound, metal washers between and on each outermost face of said layers, and a metal spike extending centrally through said layers and washers with the outermost washers secured thereto and holding the layers compressed to a pre letermined thickness with the spike point projecting. I

t. A spike insert for a rubber compound shoe tread having the construction defined in claim 3, in which the washer adjacent the spike point is integral with the spike and in which the washer on the opposite outermost face is secured in position by the overturned adjacent end of the spike.

5. A shoe sole havin the construction defined in claim 2, toget er with a relatively thin backing layer of fibrous rubber impregnated fabric overlying and united by vulcanization to the section of the sole containing the insert.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LESTER E. PACKARD. 

